


as we huddle together, a storm raging outside.

by bittertofu



Series: thirty-five ways he said 'i love you.' [20]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-03
Updated: 2017-06-03
Packaged: 2018-11-08 11:02:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11080203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bittertofu/pseuds/bittertofu
Summary: If only for a moment. If only for the time being.





	as we huddle together, a storm raging outside.

**Author's Note:**

> a series of drabbles.

It took some fighting with the hospital staff to get Akechi discharged. Tae Takemi came in and took personal responsibility for managing his follow-ups, to which the staff responded with even more reluctance to let him go. Still, she was a registered physician, and Akechi gave consent to be treated by her, so there wasn't much they could ultimately do.

It was a bit unbelievable how quickly he healed with her treatments. She gave him concoction after concoction, slathered some kind of cream on his ribcage daily, and before three weeks were out, all that remained of his wound was an ugly looking scar. His other near-fatal wound had healed just as quickly, but he was incredulous and amazed all the same. While he was under treatment this time, he stayed with Akira at Leblanc, specifically so he could be nearer to Dr. Takemi's clinic.

Dr. Takemi poked and prodded at his scar, humming to herself in satisfaction.

“Well, everything looks good,” she said. “I'm surprised the treatments worked so well. And you didn't even pass out as much as I thought you would. You've got some admirable stamina. Are you interested in part time work, by any chance?”

Akechi laughed a little nervously. Akira came to his rescue by putting an arm around his shoulders.

“He's busy,” said Akira flatly, and Dr. Takemi shrugged.

“Too bad,” she said, and walked away to scribble something on her clipboard. “Alright. I'm going to give you one more prescription of pain killers. That should take care of you for the rest of your healing period. Just try not to overdo it, okay? I'd rather not see you back here again unless it's because you've decided to take me up on my offer.”

“I'll do my best,” Akechi promised.

With that he and Akira headed back to Leblanc, walking side-by-side. Ominous clouds stirred overhead. Akechi felt one raindrop, and then two, strike him on the face.

They made it back to Leblanc just before the downpour.

“Well, I was going to pack up and go home,” Akechi said, pensive, “but it seems I'll be trapped here for awhile yet.”

“Works for me,” Akira remarked with a grin.

Akechi side-eyed him in exasperation. “Of course it would.”

“It's cuddle weather.”

“It's good reading weather, actually.”

Akira scoffed. “Boring.”

“You'd benefit from reading a little more, I think.”

“I read lots.”

“Maybe not enough.”

Akira shut Akechi up by wrapping arms around his waist and pulling him in for a kiss. Akechi acquiesced, though his mind was clearly elsewhere. He was thinking of all the things he still needed to do before they arrested Masayoshi Shido. Between Akechi and Sae Niijima, most everything had already been taken care of, but the day of reckoning hovered like a dark cloud in Akechi's mind nonetheless.

Akira pulled away from him, a small frown tugging down the corners of his lips.

“You kiss like a dead fish.”

Akechi glared at him, shoved him lightly on the shoulder.

“Maybe you're just too needy,” Akechi shot back. “Ever think about that?”

“I am needy,” agreed Akira, resting his chin on Akechi's shoulder and rocking them from side-to-side. “Feed me.”

“Honestly,” Akechi huffed. He put his hands on Akira's waist and moved him away. “I don't know what to make of you, sometimes.”

Akira raised an eyebrow at him, his lips spreading into a slow smirk.

“I think I'm pretty straightforward,” he said. “It's cold. Warm me up.”

Too distracted for further argument, Akechi followed Akira up into the attic, where they curled into each other on Akira's bed. It felt a bit awkward being the little spoon when he was the taller one, but he had to admit, it was nice, too. With Akira pressed against his back, arms wrapped around him, he felt safe. He felt...right.

Akechi sighed as he sunk into the pillow and allowed himself to be enfolded in the warmth generated by their bodies pressed together beneath the heavy blanket. Distantly, he felt a little guilty about Morgana, who'd spent the past three weeks with Futaba, but he was so comfortable at the moment he couldn't bring himself to care all that much.

Sorry Morgana, he thought to himself as Akira nuzzled into the nape of his neck.

He was just falling asleep when Akira growled against his nape, “Kiss me.”

Akechi stirred, made a dissatisfied noise.

“Don't I kiss you enough?”

“I want more.”

“You always want more.”

“That's right.”

Akechi sighed and turned over in Akira's arms so that they were face-to-face. His heart clenched in his chest. Akira's needy eyes blazed. His arms around Akechi tightened as he leaned forward. Akechi closed his eyes, allowed Akira's lips to meet his own. Tongues explored mouths, and unlike earlier, he gave himself completely over to it. This time when Akira pulled away, he hummed low in his throat.

“Better,” he conceded.

Akechi pouted. Akira's hand came up between them, pushed stray bangs out of Akechi's face.

“You're beautiful, like this.”

Akechi was wholly unprepared for that. He stammered, pulled away. Akira laughed lightly and moved in for another kiss, probably, Akechi thought, to stop the senseless stream of babble pouring from his lips. Akechi continued to babble into Akira's mouth, trying weakly to push him away. Akira didn't relent, though. He slipped his tongue into Akechi's open mouth, and Akechi yelped in surprise. Gave in. Let Akira kiss him soft and slow. His lips felt nice, warm. He lost himself for a moment before remembering Akira's comment and pushing him away again.

“You can't...you can't say things like that,” Akechi said, frowning. “I don't...”

“It's okay,” said Akira, nuzzling him. “It's okay.”

It didn't feel okay. But Akechi didn't know what else to say. He continued frowning as Akira peppered his face with kisses. Closed his eyes as Akira placed light kisses on each of his eyelids. A light peck on his lips.

What do you see in me? Akechi wondered. After all he'd done to him, after all he was willing to do to him...

Suddenly panic seized him, the sight of Akira's body bleeding on the floor, the life draining out of him as he stared up at Akechi with those loving, loving eyes, forgiving him even as he died...

His breath came in quick erratic gasps as he trembled, trembled hard in Akira's arms. Akira's eyes widened.

“Goro...?”

“I'm sorry,” Goro gasped, clinging tight to Akira's shirt. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm...I'm so...”

“It's fine,” Akira murmured, so soothing, so soft, it made Akechi sick. “You're fine. I've got you. You're safe.”

Safe. Akechi was...safe? He didn't feel safe. He felt like running so far, so fast, until his legs gave out. Tears sprang to his eyes, and he hated them. Hated himself. He rubbed his face against Akira's shirt to wipe them away.

“Goro, you're okay,” Akira said. “I'm here.”

Of course he was there. Akira was always, always there. And Akechi hadn't been. He couldn't be. Probably, he never would be. It tore him apart.

Thunder rumbled outside. Akechi pushed himself closer, as close as he could, to Akira's body.

Akira held him tight, stroked his hair, mumbled words of comfort into the top of his head. Akechi felt like throwing up. He couldn't bear it. He couldn't bear Akira's tenderness, couldn't bear how gentle, how loving he was. He couldn't bear the thought of being loved at all. And he knew now Akira loved him. He knew it without a doubt, and it terrified him.

“You shouldn't want me,” Akechi whispered. “You don't know what I've...what I've...”

Akira kissed the top of his head.

“It doesn't matter. You're here now. You're with me. It doesn't matter.”

It mattered. It mattered so much. Akira was too good for him. Akechi had blood and more blood on his hands. And he was about to have more.

“No,” Akechi said, over and over. “No.”

Akira pulled back, stared into Akechi's eyes, or tried to. Akechi wouldn't look at him. Finally, Akira grabbed Akechi's face and forced him to look.

“Sleep with me,” Akira breathed. “I want you.”

Akechi's breath hitched. His heart beat slow and hard in his chest. He closed his eyes tight and nodded.

Akira's lips crashed into his. He moved over Akechi's body, pinning him down. Akechi wrapped arms around Akira's neck and threw himself into Akira's pace, moaning quietly as Akira moved down to kiss his neck.

He let himself fall. He let himself, if only for a moment, forget.

 


End file.
